I have made a mess. Looking for any insight.

[blackhighlighter]

Hi all-

::::Big sigh here::::

So, last week I saw a video on youtube where someone used a sock full of vitamin c to eradicate metal staining in his pool. I tried it in a small spot and it worked! I instantly went to amazon and bought a gallon of powdered vitamin C and went nuts. Dumped the whole thing in. In a matter of an hour, the yellow, dingy pebbletec walls that made my pool perpetually green had lost their yellow staining and my pool was an incredible blue - something i hadn’t seen in a decade! Amazing!

Fast forward 36hrs, my pool went from crystal clear to nearly opaque skim milk!! Also, overnight my DE filter clogged.

So, we rebalanced chemicals, got the nonexistent chlorine back (i guess vitamin c kills it), cleaned the filter, backwashed and ran the the filter for 24 hrs. However our pool looks STILL like skim milk. No change!

My hunch is that we burned off a layer of finish on the pebbletec and the filter cannot handle it. Has anyone seen this? Ive not seen any posts or instances where vitamin c makes the whole pool cloudy, so my assumption is that it is the pebbletec. Is this a good guess or do you think it’s something else?

I put in about 20oz of flocculant to my 20k gal pool this morning. I cant tell if it’s working or not. Even though the bottle says 24-72 hrs, all the videos on YT make it seem like it works crazy fast. All I see after 7 hrs is some foaming/chud/bubbles on the surface.

Dying for some insights here. Would love to hear from you all!

 

[PoolStored]

Ooooof, you got it going on.

First, you need to choose. TFP or anything else. We can help you with your pool, but we can't mix TFP and ANYTHING that you see on YT, Instagram or anywhere else. Proof Link-->How Clear is TFP Clear?

You in?

First, how are you testing your pool water? If you have one of our recommended kits, then post a full set of result. If you don't, order one TODAY. Link-->Test Kits Compared
We cannot help you, and would likely do MORE damage without a test kit.

ADD NOTHING to your pool until we get good results from your test kit, EXCEPT 3ppm on liquid chlorine PER DAY.

What else did you add during this time period? Tell us everything added, brand and product.
Do you have the ability to vacuum to waste with your equipment?

Given the mix, let's get @JoyfulNoise @mknauss @ajw22 to weigh in on the AA and milk...

 

[mknauss]

Welcome to the forum.
Drain it. Especially if the iron is still in solution.
Be aware of high water table if draining.

Read Draining - Further Reading

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The AA caused an algae bloom and that’s the cloudiness you see. It doesn’t burn off a layer of plaster.

You need to SLAM the pool to kill all the algae and clear it up with filtration if you don’t want to drain it. But SLAM’ing the pool will bring all/most of the stains back.

 

[blackhighlighter]

Ooooof, you got it going on.

First, you need to choose. TFP or anything else. We can help you with your pool, but we can't mix TFP and ANYTHING that you see on YT, Instagram or anywhere else. Proof Link-->How Clear is TFP Clear?

You in?

First, how are you testing your pool water? If you have one of our recommended kits, then post a full set of result. If you don't, order one TODAY. Link-->Test Kits Compared
We cannot help you, and would likely do MORE damage without a test kit.

ADD NOTHING to your pool until we get good results from your test kit, EXCEPT 3ppm on liquid chlorine PER DAY.

What else did you add during this time period? Tell us everything added, brand and product.
Do you have the ability to vacuum to waste with your equipment?

Given the mix, let's get @JoyfulNoise @mknauss @ajw22 to weigh in on the AA and milk...

Ok, thank you for responding.

I’m desperate for some sane help, so I’ll gladly focus on this group. I might admittedly not opt for nuclear options sight unseen, but I need to get this figured.

I had a cheapy test kit arrive a cheapy 30 dollar Poolmaster 5-way kit from Amazon. Should I return and buy one listed in that link? Or will that suffice for now?

I don’t have chlorine to add. Someone comes weekly for that. Living in Florida though I have access to it on every corner. I can go tomorrow. There is a floating chlorine tab currently.

I can say with some confidence all that was done between the 1 gal AA bomb last week and today’s 22oz Suncoast flocculant dose was our pool guy adding the chems in the attached photos. This was from Thu of this week. Also - the day after the cloudiness occurred, some kid at the pool store told us to shock the pool and gave us a packet… no clue on brand, but it was a pouch of powder.

Now, reading @JoyfulNoise and @mknauss posts I might be a little unsure of the language (I.e slamming and iron in the solution) and I’m not wholly sure if they are giving contradictory advise, but I’m here to listen.

Draining the pool feels a bit “nuclear” to me. Maybe I’m misunderstanding the options. Unless slamming is something equally as intense.

@JoyfulNoise you are feeling algae bloom? Interesting.

Looking forward to your replies. Grateful for this.

EDIT: @PoolStored - yes on vacuum!

 

[PoolStored]

I had a cheapy test kit arrive a cheapy 30 dollar Poolmaster 5-way kit from Amazon. Should I return and buy one listed in that link? Or will that suffice for now?

Get a recommended test kit. Without it you cannot do what we are going to do. Order it now...
Taylor K2006C or
TFTESTKITS.NET and get a TF-100 or TF-PRO. I would recommend the PRO for the speed stir.
If you have a salt water chlorine generator, get the TF-100 Salt or the TF-PRO Salt.

I’m not wholly sure if they are giving contradictory advise, but I’m here to listen.

It is not contradictory. Marty and Matt have cleared more chemical stews than you can image. Their knowlege is immense. That is why I called them.

They are giving you a choice, neither is "easy."

If you drain the pool, you will get rid of the iron in your water...which is what is causing your stains. That is what @mknauss intimated.
You can SLAM the pool, buy it will not remove the iron and your stains will come back. That is what @JoyfulNoise intimated.

It is your choice. Drain and get rid of the iron...stains gone, or SLAM and retain the stains. Either way, clear pool.

Now that I understand the algae bloom (hadn't seen that with AA before), but makes sense, confident we can clear this pool. When we recommend AA to remove stains, we typcially add a high quality algaecide, and that white bloom doesn't happen.

Two things we should consider is the source of the iron and the price of water trucked in, before you choose. Where do you get your water? Are you on a well? Do you have any idea of water cost?

 

[blackhighlighter]

Sorry, to be clear - my lack of familiarity with terminology was the reason I couldn’t sort if it was contradictory. I am not questioning anyone’s knowledge- I apologize if I typed it in a manner that read that way. Def Not my intent!

Ok - so you bring up an important point here. I “think” there is always going to be iron in my pool for the time being. This is an old pool. It leaks constantly and we have a hose in it once a week to add an inch or two. We’ll get a leak addressed and 6 mos later a new one in back. If we drain the pool, we can add trucked in water, but it will be gone over the the course of a few years by attrition and replaced with rain water and our Seminole County Florida- provided water. Which is not great. You see iron stains on all our sidewalks in this neighborhood from sprinkler systems.


Not to digress, but after all this, is there not a way we can work reduce the iron in the water?

It feels like getting the pool rolled back to clear and usable is a good phase 1 and then we can perhaps explore options to correct the other issues?

Should I still get the chlorine? What about the flocculant?

 

[PoolStored]

I apologize if I typed it in a manner that read that way. Def Not my intent!

Not necessary. Didn't take it that way. Was trying to clarify the options! We Good! Sorry I made YOU feel that way!

It feels like getting the pool rolled back to clear and usable is a good phase 1 and then we can perhaps explore options to correct the other issues?

Great, it is clearly your choice.

1) Order the test kit.
2) Add 3ppm of liquid chlorine PER DAY until your test kit arrives.
3) Do not add anything else.

Need to know a couple things for any other next step advice:
Do you have a manual vacuum? Yes, you answered.
Do you have an option to vacuum to waste?
How were you chlorinating up to this point?

Not to digress, but after all this, is there not a way we can work reduce the iron in the water?

Digression. Clearing the pool is #1 priority. These are for later.

We can treat and sequester it so the stains go away, but it doesn't remove the iron.

Ascorbic Acid Treatment - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

There are some tools to remove some of it.

Iron Fill Water Filter - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[PoolStored]

Can you post a few pictures of your equipment pad.

Also, fill out your signature with all your equipment brand and model #. It will reduce the amount of back and forth and help troubleshooting and aid advice to you.

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[blackhighlighter]

I appreciate your order and organization here. Let’s do this.

1. ) ordering test kit. Consider it done.

2.) buying chlorine tomorrow. Consider it done. Will add the 3ppm.

3.)

- I have a brand new manual vac purchased for the flocc.

- I have a waste out mode on my Hayward, yes.

- I have a weekly pool service handling all chems. I’ve never added anything to the pool personally until this big mess last week. Pool co handles chlorine. We can put them on hold if needed.

 

[blackhighlighter]

Can you post a few pictures of your equipment pad.

Also, fill out your signature with all your equipment brand and model #. It will reduce the amount of back and forth and help troubleshooting and aid advice to you.

Create Your Signature - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

Will get this taken care of 100% tomorrow.

 

[PoolStored]

- I have a weekly poor service handling all chems. I’ve never added anything to the pool personally until this big mess last week. Pool co handles chlorine. We can put them on hold if needed.

Consider it on hold. Tell them.

Do you have any invoices/history that you can look to see what they add every week?

Did water ever go through your filter AFTER the FLOC was added?

 

[blackhighlighter]

Do you have any invoices/history that you can look to see what they add every week?

They send weekly reports. I did a screen grab in one of my earlier posts. It comes in my email. Reposting here now. LMK if you need to see a historical or if this snapshot is sufficient for now.

Did water ever go through your filter AFTER the FLOC was added?

NO. Filter off. It was never run with the floc. Despite videos online saying to recirculate for a few hours, the manufacturer’s instructions just said to add to the water and scrub walls and steps.

 

[PoolStored]

They send weekly reports. I did a screen grab in one of my earlier posts. It comes in my email. Reposting here now. LMK if you need to see a historical or if this snapshot is sufficient for now.

This helps a bit. They added stabilizer (CYA). Ammend my recommendation on liquid chlorine. Add 5ppm per day. Nothing else. This is enough on the history. All I needed to know.

NO. Filter off. It was never run with the floc. Despite videos online saying to recirculate for a few hours, the manufacturer’s instructions just said to add to the water and scrub walls and steps.

YAY!!!! Was worried we were going to have to deal with a filter issue. This really helps.

Are you going to work on the floc tomorrow? If you have the chlorine tonight, add 5ppm, pump on recirculate for 30 minutes, then turn the pump off. Let it all settle.

Removing the floc is going to be a process. You want to set it all up for vacuum to waste. You want to go REALLY slow. If you push the vacuum around fast, you just stir it up. You will consume water FAST! You need to keep an eye on it. When water level gets close to the bottom of the skimmer, you need to stop, and replace water. It will be a process.

Don't let the FLOC hit the filter.

 

[PoolStored]

If you don't have it yet, download Pool Math. Link-->PoolMath

Configure your pool, then use it to determine how much liquid chlorine to add to add 5ppm to you pool. Report that value back here to confirm you are using it right. Pool Math will help you with all your chemistry going forward.

 

[blackhighlighter]

YAY!!!! Was worried we were going to have to deal with a filter issue. This really helps.

Are you going to work on the floc tomorrow? If you have the chlorine tonight, add 5ppm, pump on recirculate for 30 minutes, then turn the pump off. Let it all settle.

Alright! Some good news

I will work on the flocc tomorrow! If this is what I need to do, this is what will be done. No chlorine tonight. I have none. Will buy first thing tomorrow. I will follow your instructions above tomorrow AM unless you say otherwise.

Removing the floc is going to be a process. You want to set it all up for vacuum to waste. You want to go REALLY slow. If you push the vacuum around fast, you just stir it up. You will consume water FAST! You need to keep an eye on it. When water level gets close to the bottom of the skimmer, you need to stop, and replace water. It will be a process.

Copy all of this. I’ve had to dump water during hurricanes and I see how fast it goes down. Wife and I will do together with finger on the off button. Will not rush.

With this all said - if flocc is something we are trying to avoid hitting filter, tomorrow at 10a is going to be 24 hrs of flocc. You feel this is safe to proceed in terms of vacuuming ( meaning we assume all floc has dropped and will be vacuumed out during this process) . I feel this might be an all day affair - which is fine. Vacuum, fill, settle, repeat. Once done, recirculate? Or back to normal filter ops?

 

[PoolStored]

Will buy first thing tomorrow. I will follow your instructions above tomorrow AM unless you say otherwise.

Let the FLOC settle tonight...let's get that out. Don't add chlorine in the moring, we'll fix the algae and FC levels after we get the floc out.

Turn it all off and let it settle.

You feel this is safe to proceed in terms of vacuuming ( meaning we assume all floc has dropped and will be vacuumed out during this process)

Turn it all off. It is 10pm. 12 hours of settling should be fine, so start at 10. Has the pump been running at all since you added floc?

Vacuum, fill, settle, repeat. Once done, recirculate? Or back to normal filter ops?

Let's see how it goes. Can you see the bottom to vacuum effectively?

 

[blackhighlighter]

Let the FLOC settle tonight...let's get that out. Don't add chlorine in the moring, we'll fix the algae and FC levels after we get the floc out.

Turn it all off and let it settle.

Done. Won’t add anything. Will still buy chlorine.

Turn it all off. It is 10pm. 12 hours of settling should be fine, so start at 10. Has the pump been running at all since you added floc

there has been zero pump activity since the flocc hit the water. None. Tomorrow AM at 10 will be 24 hrs of settling.

Let's see how it goes. Can you see the bottom to vacuum effectively?

Negative. 6”-12” of visibility. Pool about 8.5’ deep. I’ll go slow and systematic. And prob have to deal with some overlap to be thorough.

 

[PoolStored]

Negative. 6”-12” of visibility. Pool about 8.5’ deep. I’ll go slow and systematic. And prob have to deal with some overlap to be thorough.

Yeah, you are in a tough spot. Algae and Floc. We can't deal with the algae, cause we need to kill it and remove it to regain visibility, which requires filtration. Dealing with the FLOC requires us to get it out, but we can't see it to vacuum efficiently.

@mknauss and @JoyfulNoise, you guys agree on getting as much of the FLOC out first, then deal with the algae, even if we need to clean the grids containing some errant FLOC?

It may be that we will end up with some FLOC in the filter later, and will deal with that if it comes. Sounds like you are committed and methodical. That REALLY helps.

 

[mknauss]

Flocculant - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com